The Moment of Truth
by SilvertonguedClotpole
Summary: Uther had miraculously been called out before Arthur had the chance to explain why Merlin had just kissed him. But now his father was home, and it was time for some home truths. How will Uther take it? (Follow up to We Didn't Break, We Didn't Burn'.) Swearing involved. Author bad at writing coming out stories, so...sorry.


**Hello again guys. This is kind of a series follow up to 'We Didn't Break, We Didn't Burn', I'm not exactly pleased with it but I've written another follow up and thought this may be a mid-section between the two. Again, I don't ship Merthur 100% so I'm not sure how they hell my mind decided to write these, but anyway, they keep me busy every so often. :) **

Arthur didn't believe in miracles, but one happened on the night of the big get together. In fact, a number of them happened. Merlin was definitely on the road to recovery after his accident; He and Merlin were definitely a 'thing'; and Merlin became brave enough to show his feelings in public (ok, by 'public' he meant in front of their friends). But the biggest miracle was how Uther got a call out from something to do with his business and had to take off. His father had to pack and leave for Scotland by the morning, meaning Arthur didn't have to face him about what was going on between his son and best friend. He admits, he breathed a sigh of relief when Uther's car rounded the corner towards the airport, because he hadn't prepared a speech or even thought of how he would break the news.

It's not that he was ashamed- why would you be ashamed of who you love- it was that his father was one of those old fashioned types, the sort of man who lived the same way they probably did in the medieval period and hated any kind of modern change. Knowing his father, he would have been one of those people who hunted witches and burned them at a stake. It had taken the man nearly a month to get over Arthur having 'coloured' friends, and that still did not sit well with him.

So this is why he was now sat, with a mug of tea in hand, at the island of the mansion's kitchen. The staff (his now chosen name for the 'servants', even though he still wasn't pleased with it), were bustling around the kitchen preparing their boss' breakfast, which would be waiting for him when he walked through the door. Arthur tried to stop the shaking of his hands by tightening his grip on the mug, which only resulted in the palm of his hand burning from the boiling beverage through the ceramic. He had played the moment over in his mind, with different scenarios flashing like lightning, giving him a headache. Every single thing he thought may happen, every single way he would tell his father about his feelings for Merlin came to mind, including his father hunting Merlin down and having him killed. That was when he knew he had lost a lot of sleep because of this.

The door opened and in walked Uther Pendragon, stood firm and proud as usual.

"Good morning sir, we have prepared for you a full English breakfast, including sausages, bacon, eggs and beans. There is also some porridge, pancakes or toast if you would prefer another warm meal. In case you choose a cold breakfast, there is a choice of cereals, yoghurt, fruit and croissants. Juice, tea and coffee are in their usual places." The usual morning welcome, never changing.

"Thank you Maggie, I shall accept the full english." Eurghh, what is it with people and the fry up? In Arthur's opinion, it was disgusting, he would much rather have toast or cereal, but not porridge- never porridge...unless it was chocolate!

Arthur watched as Maggie curtsied (was that really necessary in this day and age?), and exited the kitchen, along with the other staff members. He couldn't bring himself to look at his father,so he followed the movements of him around the kitchen out the corner of his eye. Uther Pendragon brought his plate, a fresh cup of coffee and the daily newspaper to the island and sat opposite his son. Arthur chanced a glance up, noticing his father not even paying any attention to him. Silence dragged on for a long while as Uther added milk and sugar to his drink. Well this wasn't awkward at all!

"Long time since I've had a good cup of coffee. Damn people at the hotel made a poor excuse of a drink." Arthur could tell there was trepidation in Uther's voice. Maybe he, too, realised what conversation was needing to take place.

"Well you know the staff, they make the best coffee I've ever had." Arthur tried to laugh but it came out full of nerves.

After another 5 minutes of Uther delicately eating his food, the tension built. Every scrape or scratch of the knife on the plate sent shivers down Arthur's spine and he could take it no longer. "Ok, this needs to be said, so I may as well get it over with. What happened the other night...it..."

"You have some serious explaining to do Arthur."

"Well yes, that's what I was going to do before you interrupted."

"Do not give me lip boy, I am your father, not some petty servant." Tomatoe seeds flew from Uther's mouth when he enunciated 'petty' in all it's glory.

"They are called staff. Not servants." Uther took a sip of coffee and glared at Arthur over his cup. "Fine. Well, over the last few months I've been having feelings for Merlin. At first I just thought it was because I was worried about his health, until I realised I felt it before the crash. I've not felt like I do with Merlin since Gwen, and you know how close we were."

"Yes, and you also told me how Gwen was more like a sister to you. So comparing that statement with your last one means you feel for this boy as your brother."

"No!"

"Arthur, do not test me. I am very tired and do not wish to be messed about like this."

"I'm not messing you about. I'm telling you my feelings and you should be bloody well pleased for me." He was getting angry, he'd made bets with himself how long it would take.

Uther said nothing. "So you're ashamed of me. Is that it?"

No reply except for the raising of one judgmental eyebrow.

"So you're disappointed I'm gay!?"

"You are not gay."

"Oh, ok, you're in denial."

"I know you would not choose to be something so ridiculous." He gave a mock laugh, as if the idea was preposterous.

"I didn't choose to be anything. The only thing I chose was who I wanted to be with. And that's Merlin."

"You are forbidden to see that boy again until you get your act straight. And believe me, I will regularly check your computer and phone for outgoing messages and calls to him."

Arthur jumped up causing his stool to crash down behind him. He picked up the mug and threw it at the wall behind Uther's head, cold tea going everywhere. "You cannot tell me what to fucking do! I love him and you can't stop that!"

"Listen to yourself, you sound like a pathetic movie."

"What about you and mum." Uther looked up for the first time, interested in what Arthur had to say. "You told me once that your father was disappointed because she was poor and a nobody, and forbid you from seeing her. How is what you're doing now any different? It's the same. You loved mum, and there was nothing that your father could do to stop that. You fought with him and it left such a rift that he died still hating you, and you him. Remember how you said when I was young that you wished you'd had the guts to apologize, and that you'd give anything to explain your feelings for mum to him, to make him see how happy she made you, and how everything seemed so right with her. This is what I'm trying to show you. Merlin makes me happy, he's my best friend and I care for him." His voice had now quietened down and he was speaking not dissimilar to a counsellor or psychiatrist would to one of their patients. A few tears fell down his cheeks but he wouldn't let his dad see how much he was getting to him, it would only fuel his rage to bite back at his son.

Uther said nothing, but had put down his knife and fork. "Fine. You can't tell me what to do anymore. I'm 18, I can do what I want. Merlin's mother offered me a room at hers, knowing you would not react good to the news. I'll get my things and go."

Slowly he walked out of the room and up the stairs. He knew it would be hard to accommodate to a different lifestyle, but he also knew he would be much happier with Merlin and Hunith than with his good for nothing father. His only regret was leaving Morgana behind to no doubt take the brunt of his father's rage. Half of his things were already packed, for he had always known his father would more than likely not take well to the news. He wasn't taking too much with him, there was no point if he was moving to university in less that 3 months anyway, so the bare essentials of clothes, hygiene products and personal favourites were the only things needed. He did pack a few other things, like his game console and games, dvd's, books and favourite music- of course not forgetting his laptop and camera. When he'd imagined the confrontation the night before, he had pictured himself angrily shoving the items into bags and carrying a face that threatened to snap anyone who pissed him off, but he wasn't. It was probably because he had known this was coming, and that everything his father had said, was what he had expected to be told anyway. Instead, he allowed the tears to flow, mostly out of disappointment than anger or upset; he knew his father could be a mean bastard but he had hoped there was a spark of humanity deep down.

Allowing the luggage to crash down on every step he dragged it down just to add effect to the situation, (if Uther wanted him to act like a spoilt brat, then a spoilt brat he was going to act like), Arthur threw the items to the bottom of the stairs and stormed back into the kitchen.

"Don't worry, I'm just grabbing my laptop charger and then I'll be out of your hair. Just make sure you don't piss Morgana off because I don't think Hunith's got another spare room."

"Arthur..." Uther began, but Arthur was paying the man no attention.

"Arthur..."

"You don't need to worry about the smashed mug, I've already given Wendy £10 to clean it up, weirdly enough, she said it's the biggest tip she's ever gotten. You, with all this money and you pay your staff the bare minimum! Do you actually give anyone anything? Money? Support?...Love?"

"Arthur, listen to me." Arthur wheeled round and crashed his hands down on the table, sighing. "Please do not leave."

"There is no way I'm staying here. Not with such an unsupportive, selfish pig of a father."

"Please. We're already broken, if you leave there will be no hope for us to be fixed."

"Broken!? And who's fucking fault is that!"

"What happened to us Arthur?"

"What happened? I'll tell you what happened. You used to be a great father, a great friend. You were funny, supportive and spent time with your family. Instead of sticking your nose up in the air at someone's appearance you used to tell me it didn't matter what we looked like. You used to tell me that true love was what kept us sane, and happy, and now you're disgusted by my choice. How can you say we're broken. When it was you who broke us. Mum died and you became an almighty dick, who couldn't see past his huge piles of money. Don't you dare blame me for breaking this family apart by moving out, it was you who broke us, when you became so isolated it was like Morgana and I had lost not just mum, but our dad. You're a stranger, because the dad I remember would have been happy for me whoever I loved. You're just a stranger that came and has not left after 15 years. So if he won't leave, I will. See ya!" He turned and gave his most sarcastic wave before walking towards the hallway.

"Wait." His father had run after him and placed his hand on Arthur's arm before he could pick up his bags. "I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"Everything." Arthur put down the bag and turned to his father. "I mean...I never wanted to turn into the man my father was. He was just like me, hated everything, controlled everyone in his life and made sure everything fit perfectly into his own little world, and if it didn't fit, he would cast it out like bad garbage. Like he did me and your mother. Like I'm now doing you."

"You're doing a bang up job here Uther." It was a well known fact in the household that Arthur only called his father by his real name when he was severely annoyed with him, and wanted nothing more to do with him.

"I never wanted to be that man. I see myself in you, my younger self, before I lost your mother. You're right, I was a fun dad, I cared for you and abandoned work just to be with you. Now I'm your typical tyrannical male who cares nothing for his children, his household or personal life, only his work and money. And I don't want that. In truth, I saw the way you were around that boy, even before the accident. I saw how you gave up sleep knowing he was ill, your grades slipped and you hid away in your room even more than usual. I kidded myself into thinking he was a brother to you, given that you practically grew up together, but there was always something more and I denied it everytime I saw it. I truly am sorry."

"So what are you saying?"

"I'm saying I am happy for you. It may take me a while to get used to the change, but if he makes you this happy- and argumental- then I see no reason for me to act as I have. Please, help me mend this family, stay, we can work this out. Hell, Merlin and Hunith can move in too. Please. Don't let us turn out as those families in movies do. I don't want to watch you drive away and never see you again. I didn't get the chance to apologize to my father, to show him I was sorry, so here's my chance to make amends to you. I do not want this to be a repeat."

"I'm pretty sure Merls and Hunith don't want to move in." He tried a small smile, he was proud his dad was trying to be a better person.

"Yes. I'm sure they won't." Uther returned the laugh and squeezed his son's shoulder. "Do you want me to make you another cup of tea?"

"That would be nice." He hadn't completely forgiven Uther, that would take a while yet, but he had accepted his father was trying, and that was good enough for him.

"You can tell me more about Merlin. I'd love to get to know him."

"Well, how about we invite him over?" Arthur wasn't sure if Merlin would be happy of the invite, but at least it was a step in the right direction.

"Yes, I'd like that."

Arthur got out his phone and made the call."...See you soon then, love you."

**There is one more short fic written to follow this up. It should be up in the next week. :)**


End file.
